The three-day event at Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo, Japan, welcomed over 78,000 trade visitors from all over Japan, Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia and Oceania, comprising of importers, retailers, manufacturers and professionals from the wine, spirits and food service markets.
Together with its partner trade fairs, FABEX, Dessert Sweets & Bakery Festival, PB- OEM, Halal Market Fair, Japan Meat Industry Fair and Noodle Industry Fair, there were a total of 964 exhibitors from over 20 countries around the world. Wine & Gourmet featured 196 exhibitors with 75 percent coming from outside Japan. International exhibitors from all over the globe including Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Portugal, Romania, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Tunisia, USA showcased their best in eleven country pavilions including new regions’ group participation such as D.O.Navarra and Sicilian regional government.
“The quality of visitors was just great and we would like to come back again for the 2019 edition to continue our branding in the important market,” said Goncalo Furtado of Vinho Verde.
Returning this year is the successful supporting program of matchmaking seminars for international wineries and local importers and distributors. These professional seminars were again organized by Koelnmesse, featuring a prominent lecturer, Junko Tominaga, who holds WSET Level 4 Diploma. The wine appreciation programs organized by Wine Kingdom provided wine-matching tips and advice to a highly targeted group of buyers from the Japanese bars, restaurants and hospitality sector, focusing on creation of neo-futuristic restaurant style with a solution of innovative wine offerings.
